Something Sinister

Hunter Pt. I

You'd never felt at a loss at the Avengers Compound before. You'd always felt like amongst all the smartest minds and highest, most advanced technology - there was always an answer somewhere.

So you hadn't been particularly worried during the first hour after the quinjet had arrived back at the Compound. May had made all of you some hot chocolate while Harry's arm was put in a case.

You'd spent about twenty minutes on the phone with Pepper letting her know you were all okay, and though she said she could come back for the rest of the weekend, you assured her you were all just fine and to enjoy her time with Morgan at the lake.

As the afternoon fell away into the evening though, none of you had heard anything from Bruce or anyone else in regards to Norman Osborn's condition, and you were starting to feel a bit weary.

Harry had fallen asleep on the couch and no one dared to move him. MJ was in the kitchen baking some cookies with Rhodey, the two of them talking casually as they rolled out the dough.

Peter had been relatively quiet since you'd all returned, and you found that to be a bit unnerving considering there was so much going on and yet Peter Parker wasn't rambling along with everyone else - his usual presence lacking.

"Hey."

You nudged his foot with your hand as you walked up to the small love seat he was sprawled across. He was looking through some files above him on a holographic projection, lazily scanning through them as you all kept your voices low to allow Harry to continue his slumber.

"Yeah?" he asked, not even looking away as you stood there.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" you asked, arms crossing awkwardly over your chest as Peter continued to work on whatever it was that was apparently more important than you.

He didn't answer, simply enlarging one of the files and you cleared your throat, "Peter."

"Hmm? What?"

Peter seemed to snap out of his concentration as you stared down at him suspiciously, looking slightly annoyed.

"I asked if you wanted to get some air and go for a walk," you repeated, "Unless whatever you're doing is far more important."

"I just -"

"It's fine," you nodded, stalking off out of the common area as Peter quietly called after you, but you waved him off.

It had always been like this even before the two of you had started dating officially - if something had Peter in a funk then you were quick to follow. Seeing Peter struggling always put you in a bad mood because you knew there wasn't really anything tangible you could do in order for there to be some immediate relief.

And you knew the two of you well enough to know that if you worked on your separate issues apart, then you could come back together and eventually work on them as a team much more effectively.

So you retreated to your lab.

The lights all went on automatically as you walked in, turning on as you walked around and said, "Sherlock, please play some music."

"Of course, Miss Stark," Sherlock said softly, Fleetwood Mac starting to filter through your speakers.

"Let's bring up the team mocks," you said, sitting in your stool and rolling back and forth as the holograms started to appear in front of you. You hummed in acknowledgement, reaching out as if plucking the one suit from the lineup and bringing it to fit in the size of your hand.